Quick-look processing algorithm for spaceborne SAR with FIR filter

Some applications of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) need SAR data processing in real time or near real time such as data evaluation and disaster monitoring. Two quick-look algorithms based on FIR filter using in spacebome SAR are introduced in this paper. The raw data is preprocessed by FIR filter and subsampled with low sample rate, which can reduce data and computation amount to generate low resolution SAR image. The first algorithm designing a two-dimension filter prefilters the raw data and the other method uses two one-dimension filters in the procedure of processing the data with R-D algorithm. The performance of the two algorithms is analyzed. Finally, the raw data of RADARSAT is used to prove the algorithms. The result shows that the algorithms can be used in quick-look imaging effectively.